different between wonder vs masterpiece

English

Etymology

From Middle English wonder, wunder, from Old English wundor (“wonder, miracle, marvel”), from Proto-Germanic *wundr?. Cognate with Scots wunner (“wonder”), West Frisian wonder, wûnder (“wonder, miracle”), Dutch wonder (“miracle, wonder”), Low German wunner, wunder (“wonder”), German Wunder (“miracle, wonder”), Danish, Norwegian and Swedish under (“wonder, miracle”), Icelandic undur (“wonder”).

The verb is from Middle English wondren, from Old English wundrian, which is from Proto-Germanic *wundr?n?. Cognate with Saterland Frisian wunnerje, West Frisian wûnderje, Dutch wonderen, German Low German wunnern, German wundern, Swedish undra, Icelandic undra.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?w?nd?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?w?nd?/
• Rhymes: -?nd?(?)
• Hyphenation: won?der

Noun

wonder (countable and uncountable, plural wonders)

1. Something that causes amazement or awe; a marvel.
2. Something astonishing and seemingly inexplicable.

3. Someone very talented at something, a genius.

4. The sense or emotion which can be inspired by something curious or unknown; surprise; astonishment, often with awe or reverence.
   • 1781, Samuel Johnson, The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets

     All wonder is the effect of novelty upon ignorance.

   • 1871, Plato, Benjamin Jowett (translator), Theaetetus (section 155d)

     Socrates: I see, my dear Theaetetus, that Theodorus had a true insight into your nature when he said that you were a philosopher, for wonder is the feeling of a philosopher, and philosophy begins in wonder. He was not a bad genealogist who said that Iris (the messenger of heaven) is the child of Thaumas (wonder).

5. (Britain, informal) A mental pondering, a thought.
6. (US) A kind of donut; a cruller.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

wonder (third-person singular simple present wonders, present participle wondering, simple past and past participle wondered)

1. (intransitive) To be affected with surprise or admiration; to be struck with astonishment; to be amazed; to marvel; often followed by at.
   • October 8, 1751, Samuel Johnson, The Rambler No. 163

     Some had read the manuscript, and rectified its inaccuracies; others had seen it in a state so imperfect, that the could not forbear to wonder at its present excellence.
2. (transitive, intransitive) To ponder; to feel doubt and curiosity; to query in the mind.

Conjugation

Derived terms

• bewonder
• forwonder
• unwonder
• wonderer

Synonyms

• thauma

Translations

Anagrams

• Nedrow, Rowden, Worden, downer, red won, wondre

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch wonder, wunder, from Old Dutch wundar, from Proto-Germanic *wundr?, from Proto-Indo-European *wenh?- (“to wish for, desire, strive for, win, love”). Compare Low German wunder, wunner, German Wunder, West Frisian wonder, wûnder, English wonder, Danish under.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???n.d?r/
• Hyphenation: won?der
• Rhymes: -?nd?r

Noun

wonder n (plural wonderen, diminutive wondertje n)

1. wonder, miracle

Synonyms

• mirakel

Derived terms

• wonderteken
• wonderlijk

Anagrams

• worden

English

Alternative forms

• master-piece (obsolete)

Etymology

master +? piece, a calque of Dutch meesterstuk.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?mæst??pis/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?m??st??pi?s/

Noun

masterpiece (plural masterpieces)

1. A piece of work that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career.
   • 1911, Saki, The Chronicles of Clovis

     The design, when finally developed, was a slight disappointment to Monsieur Deplis, who had suspected Icarus of being a fortress taken by Wallenstein in the Thirty Years' War, but he was more than satisfied with the execution of the work, which was acclaimed by all who had the privilege of seeing it as Pincini's masterpiece.

2. A work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship.
3. A work created in order to qualify as a master craftsman and member of a guild.

Synonyms

• chef d'œuvre
• masterwork

Related terms

• mistresspiece

Translations